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October 07, 2008

The kids were here from Arkansas. We went to the Apple Farm. I sat out on the apple picking this year... but...I look forward to walking through the apple orchards next year. In two weeks I get my new knees!!! I am looking forward to next year at this time. Mostly I just want the six weeks after the surgery to pass quickly). They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away....so....I'm planning to eat a lot of apples during my recovery.

The grandkids put up the halloween decorations while they were here. We hung orange lights in the bathroom and my Little Man said it was like having a festival when you go to the bathroom! I love it! I think I should leave out lights in the bathroom year round. I like the idea of it being a festival in there.

September 21, 2008

(I can't take credit for these pictures...my son and daughter-in-law are the creative ones here!) This is my oldest son, Paul. I love this picture. I have it on my laptop right now. Paul is the kind of guy everyone would love to have for a son because he leaves the world a better place wherever he goes. Laura captured him at work when they were in Door County. I love these pictures....I love his creativity...and...I love them both!

September 10, 2008

Did you like cracker jacks…not so much for the tasty treat but for the surprise inside? Is the best part of your Chinese takeout the fortune cookie? Then these books are for you because each one is like opening a new present! No two are alike!!! I was given a handmade journal by someone very special to me. It meant so much to me that I had to sit down and play with the process of making more of them for myself. This month my sister and I spent some time making these one of a kind altered journals especially for PFATT. Now understand that we believe in coloring outside of the lines and that mistakes are a part of life so please know that each book is made with love and care; however, we accept no responsibility for tiny imperfections and will not admit as to whether they were intentional or not. We hope you enjoy our sense of humor. Journals can be used to jot down your day's highlights, write your music, draw your designs, keep your secret thoughts, or store addresses. You might even use your journal as a place to write down your favorite recipes or simply keep your grocery lists and carry them to the store in style.

Cindy made this journal for the creative soul and fun at heart. It’s vamp dancer on the front cover. It also has Typewriter Keys below her that spell out “DANCE”. The back cover has a long red envelope to hide your innermost secret of dreams. The book is definitely for the person with an off beat sense of humor. It also contains many surprises inside.

And lastly this little pink journal is for a sweet someone special. With its vintage ephemera and feminine touches it would be perfect for anyone’s inner child. Once again we stress that these journals are all one of a kind . All of them are available through PFATT this month only along with work from numerous other artisan's and crafters. To see them click HERE

July 06, 2008

It is Sunday afternoon. The holiday is over. My daughter and her family are on their way home. The vacation is over. Everything is quiet except my mind. It jumps from one thought to another. Snapshots of the last month keep clicking through my head. I went to San Diego to celebrate the birthdays of my son and grandson. They were born on the same day in June. Ben as usual put a lot of thought into it and the time and it was great. San Diego is a wonderful city! I love the weather!...and the Ocean!

We spent much of our time by the water.

Flocks of pelicans are not something we see here in Wisconsin. What a thrill! It is not unusual to see seagulls because we live on Lake Michigan. However, in all my years of living here I have NEVER seen a seagull nesting! So I have to kind of wonder where they nest around here. I caught this one just as she was sitting back down to keep keeping her babies warm

The sky was full of birds and other things....

The ocean had a few sites we don't see here either....

But the best things that were in San Diego are right here...

the hands of my son holding his son's hands! That is the very best thing in the whole city of San Diego! They playfully refer to this little guy as "The Beast"! It is funny when you see him because he is the farthest cry from a beast....he is sweet and beautiful...but the nickname has stuck. He will probably be forever nicknamed "The Beast" or maybe "B" for short.

The day after my return my daughter and her tribe came in from Arkansas. To say the least I have been spoiled by my children for the last month. Pictures will be forthcoming! Of course they will have to be limited to little fingers and little toes but that's ok....pictures will follow none the less.

June 06, 2008

ARRRRGGGGGGGGGG! I just typed my whole entry and then it disappeared!!!! So I won't be as wordy this time around....more pics instead...Sunday Paul and Laura and I went to the new Indiana Jones movie. I loved it!!!! Laura sat on the edge of her seat most of the movie! It was as fun to watch her as it was to watch the show. Afterward we went back to their home and sat on the porch. It is a second floor porch and Jimmie (seen above being loved on by Paul) thinks it is his MANOR. There is not a worry that Jimmie will jump up on the railing, bark at anyone or stick his head through the bars. He is the world's best mannered dog! Paul is very good with plants so the porch is lovely. There are hanging pots...

and pots on ledges......

He is very good at mixing flowers that I would never think of mixing together...

It must be the artist in him....

He has the green thumb that I don't have!

(I just love these!)

It is here that Jimmie spends time on his chaise....never jumping up on the railing...never knocking over a pot or disturbing a flower....

It is here that the story changes!!!!

I have a very large maple tree in my yard. I also have two mischievous dogs...well...one more so than the other! Because of the shade and the dog activity in my yard I have to reseed a part of it every now and then. This happens to be another one of those years. I bought rabbit fencing to keep them out and that worked until Jimmie visited and showed them how to jump the fence. (Something he would never do at home.) This year Paul built the rabbit fencing to be two stories tall so that no jumping would happen while the grass is seeding.

Lanterns were hung to make it appear more foreboding and even an orange electric cord was added to emphasize the danger of jumping the fence. (Note Gus sniffing the border as if this were the Berlin Wall!) Below you see Rosie respecting the three week boundary.

And then you see Gus checking to see if I see him....

He decides I cant see him and proceeds to pull a Peter Rabbit stunt....

And under he goes!!!

He pulls his back legs through last; while checking to see if he has been spotted.

Yep! I caught him!!! the head goes down...and he acts like he is invisible. I think of Peter Rabbit and Mr McGregor. He scampers back to the fence and Rosie lets him know he was busted!

She is really barking at him like she is his mother as he pulls himself through!!! Both of us lecture her and talk in low firm tones. He looks very innocent and sorry. The next day when I catch him...this is his exodus shot!

I again let him know how disappointed I am. He tells me he is sorry but that he can't guarantee that he will not do it again.

ooooooooooooOOOOOOOOO there are some scarey looking clouds coming and the wind has picked up so I'm signing off and getting my dogs away from the electric rods I have as a fence!!! (As I close there is an ominous roll of thunder and Gus is running for the door!)

May 15, 2008

I did my "Stand for Peace" on Sunday. I hope you thought about peace and whatever that may mean for you and the world on that special day. After wards I headed off to Milwaukee. Paul and Laura invited me to come up and spend the afternoon with them. They took me to this wonderful Irish Pub and Restauraunt named Brocach (that is Gaelic for Badger Den...we do live in the Badger state you know). It is the second restauraunt of it's kind, the first being in Madison. This place is an artist's must see! Someone had a great deal of talent and skill in the art of painting walls to create a beautiful ambience. Lots of texture, color, murals and shimmering gold paint! I am going back just to study the walls! See samples below. Yes, I took pictures of the walls to share with you!

I asked our waiter about the techniques that were used...he didn't know but reported that the painter was a person flown in from Canada who did her Doctorate thesis on Designing Irish Pubs. It sounds like there was some fun research involved in that process.

I would love to do this to some of my upstairs hallway! The old Irish posters were shellacked to the wall! Think of the money I'd save on picture frames! I think I may have to print some photographs up in sepia tones and try a few of them like this...

This is one of the two way cool bars. Actually it is the smoke free bar in the upstairs. (I like that idea). We started out by ordering homemade beer cheese dip, pretzel breadsticks and julienne vegetables. Next came this.....

All three of us opted for the haddock "fish and chips" (with a wonderful beer batter) and curried coleslaw! It had to be the best fish I have had since my childhood. I also ordered a bloody mary which had Guinness in it . It adds a foamy rich flavor to the usual bloody mary.

It is a wonderful place to dine and I am told they have wonderful entertainment there as well. So...GO!

March 05, 2008

Now that I have given my Grandson his quilt I can show it to you. (My daughter helped me with it.) I couldn't post it till now for fear that they would peek and see it. Since it is my first real quilt. I was very excited to give it to them. As you can see it was quickly put into use. I am sorry that I chopped off my grandson. I would love to show you pictures of all my grandchildren but, I am not allowed to show their little faces...which...if I think about it, I probably would have felt the same way. I am such a proud grandmother and would love to show them off! Please just fill in the blanks with lots of cuteness! Anyway.......I am hoping the quilt will be fun for them to take to the beach and to the park.

I got in lots of quality time with the grandkids while they were here....Lots of coloring, painting, and playing etc.

One afternoon we started with this....

....moved on to this.....

And after finger painting for awhile with the watercolors we called it quits here! It was just as much fun to play with the muddied water as it was to paint with it and goo around in it! In this way...they are so like me! Hmmm, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, eh? How do you think I got to creating stuff like this...

March 04, 2008

First of all...thank you for the wonderful emails, comments and prayers surrounding Hazel. They were much appreciated. She was a very good woman and she was very loved by her family. I wanted to share this darling picture of her and her brother Sven from when they were young. Weren't they the most adorable siblings??? They remind me of two of my grandkids who are just as close in age. I had the whole family home for the funeral. It was very sad and very happy at the same time. There is something very strange about being at this end of life. I feel like I should still have my babies at home. I should still have time to cook big family meals and the energy to tuck everyone in at night. And.......my hair should not be so gray. Sadly when I spent the night with Hazel to relieve the rest of the family I was mistaken as a resident. I have since been using my cane alot less!!!! And considering the knee replacements I so badly need. I will soon be completely bionic!! It was so wonderful to have all the kids home at one time! It doesn't happen very much anymore. They are all so spread out now! Life is changing and I am trying to figure out where I go from here. My path has split. There is a road to the left and a road to the right. For a few months I have stopped and been staring at the end of the old path and trying to avoid hopping on one of the main roads. I kind of liked the path. But I think it is time for me to nose myself back out on the road again. I'm tired of staring at the end of the path. The view is very lovely but it is time to pick a new road. New times call for new solutions. Onward and upward!

January 07, 2008

The holidays are over. The kids have returned home. All the snow has even melted....well...almost all of it has melted. there is a handful left where the snowman was. His charcoal eyes, nose and mouth lay on the ground next to what is left of his arms. Isn't a melted snowman the saddest looking thing???The house feels very empty!!! Too quiet!!! I loved having everyone stop in and out...in and out...again and again! A house is a home when it is bulging at the seams. I love family...I love the hustle and bustle of it....The piano is missing the stack of clean diapers and baby clothes on it's top....the toy bins are gone....no tippy cups here and there and everywhere. No little smiles or the pit pat of little feet! No trains on the floor. Even Gus keeps looking for Vlad! He keeps looking for babies and his playmate. I don't think it helped that the last two days have been very gray days. I am going to work in just a little while...I look forward to going again. There were lots of cancelations during the holidays...It should be that way. People shouldn't want to have to see a therapist during the holidays. It will get busy soon enough. We all go back to our lives after the holidays are over. I can't help but wonder what this year will bring.

December 12, 2007

These pictures were taken by Paul on our jaunt last Sunday! If you are ever in Elkhart Lake, WI be sure to stop at the Feed Mill Shops. You'll enjoy the eclectic collection of shops housed within the totally renovated historic Elkhart Lake Feed Mill. The Feed Mill was in use when I was a child. My cousin, Van, now has his photo studio here. He is a wonderful photographer and does beautiful work with children.

After our jaunt in Elkhart we were getting hungry so we were off to Plymouth to find a bite to eat. This cute little Irish Pizza place called to us....Have you ever had Guiness with your pizza before? They had the greatest vegetarian pizza that I have ever had!

Here is Paul's version of the interior.

Here is my version of Paul and Laura checking out all the pictures we took!

It must be mentioned here that Laura has exceptional patience with us when we are together because there is nothing we will not stop and photograph! I simply love her to pieces!

After wards several of the antique shops beckoned to us and we did a little browsing.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the HC Prange box on the right. Pranges was the large department store in Sheboygan. I received lots of sweaters wrapped in these boxes!!! It never occurred to me that the BOXES would end up in the window of an antique store. (See Jake! That must be where I get it from!) He loves to tease me because I always say things will be an antique some day! This must be proof positive! An HC Prange box is for sale as an antique in the window of an antique shop in Plymouth. I learned in math a long time ago...."A+B=C, therefore; "C-B=A". Do you follow me? It makes sense to me...This is the Claudia world of logic. I hope you get to do some rambling around during this little bit of time left before Christmas!